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UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
50 707 330
T B. E
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GREATEST
OF THE AGE.
BY
D..
PATON
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University of Chicago Library
GIVEN BY
Besides the -main topic this book also treats of
Subject No. On page Subject No. On page
!
HIGHER CRITICISM:
THE
GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE.
BY
D. K. PATON."
"Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto
the saints." Jttde 3.
"For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned." Matt. xii. 37.
PASSMORE & ALABASTER, 4, PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS.
1896.
, t i i
t i
lit i
' i i
' i t i
INDEX.
I. THE FALSITY OF THE POSITION OF THE " HIGHER
CRITICS."
II. THE WORTHLESS CHARACTER OF THE WORK OF THE
" HIGHER CRITICS."
III. THE CONCLUDING GENERAL VIEW, AND CONDEMNATION
OF THE "HIGHER CRITICISM."
PREFACE.
WE have always admired the picture of the man setting
out on pilgrimage, as drawn by Bunyan in his Immortal
Dream. When his dearest friends " began to cry after him
to return he put his fingers in his ears and ran on crying
' Life ! Life ! eternal life.' " And it is, we trust, in this
spirit, unbiassed by any mere human authority or person-
ality, we have written on the subject of the " Higher
Criticism." We are acquainted with Mr. Worldly Wise-
man and the other notable characters met by Christian,
and they are undoubtedly as brisk and numerous as
ever they were in Bunyan's day. Were we, however,
to compare personality on the evangelical side with
personality on the side of the Critical School, it would
be easy, we think, to show a vast preponderance of
intellectuality, not to speak of higher qualities, in
men of this century on the side of the former. But
11. PREFACE.
all such comparisons are to be avoided. The only
sound position must be to stand by the witness of
God against the whole world, if need be. Although
a Presbyterian, it is in. the one spirit of love and unity
with the whole Christian brotherhood that the writer
offers this humble, earnest contribution towards the
arrest and removal of the infidelity which, under the
guise of progress in religion, has done havoc in the
Churches, and still threatens to undermine and destroy
the Christian faith.
I.
THE FALSITY OF THE POSITION OF
THE "HIGHER CRITICS."
|HE "Higher Critics" are now a formidable
body in the theological world. They are
numerous, and considering the actual position
they have taken up which we believe to be to
themselves especially a most dangerous one they
are very influential, and by the strenuous and
widespread advocacy of their views, great multi-
tudes have been affected by them. The most
advanced are chiefly to be found in the Universi-
ties, Colleges, and Divinity Halls. We might
give a long list of prominent names, but this is
unnecessary. They are recognisable almost
everywhere. In the pulpit, and in general litera-
ture, not even excluding some of the religious
periodicals, the unmistakable trend of the
" Higher Critic " is forcibly felt. They exhibit
marked variety of character and degrees of
6 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
advancement as critics of Holy Scripture ; but
they wonderfully agree to differ, as we generally
find them lauding and praising each other, when
opportunity offers, as some new rationalistic ideas
are promulgated from time to time. And they all
point in one direction, and may well, therefore,
be regarded as practically united in the work in
which they are engaged.
\TT1 l & & -1
What, then, we enquire, is the important
mission the " Higher Critics" have undertaken ?
Their work, briefly stated, is nothing less than
an endeavour to prove that the Old Testament
Scriptures and these Scriptures are acknowledged
to be the same now as in the time of cur Lord
are unreliable ; that they are largely composed of
legend and myth ; that the historical, prophetical,
and other writings of the Book are full of mistakes
and errors ; and that in not a few instances the
reputed authors of the books of the Old Testa-
ment are not the real authors. It is further
stated that it is only by superior scholarship, by
intimate acquaintance with ancient literature, and
by certain scientific methods, which exclusively
belong to the " Higher Critics," that the real
truth of what is contained in the Bible can be
ascertained.
Such is, in short, the nature of the work and
strivings of these men. But in reading their
works, so far as we have been able or deem it
desirable to do so, we find that their conclusions
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 7
as a whole coincide very remarkably with the
rationalistic writers of an older generation.
Upwards of a hundred years ago not to refer to
infidelity of a much earlier period we find that
the same views of Old Testament Scripture were
held, among others, by such men as Bolingbroke,
Voltaire, and Paine.* The views of these
rationalists of last century, although expressed
perhaps more explicitly, are in reality identical
with what we see declared by the leading
" Higher Critics" of the present day. The
modern u Higher Critics," however, would
persuade us that it is from their own position,
as learned "experts" that they are now able to
* BOLINGBROKE Chapter on Sacred History, 1735. "These histories
" are nothing more than compilations of old traditions and abridgment
" of old records made at later times. These Scriptures .... are ....
" full of additions, interpolations and transpositions made, we know not
" when nor by whom."
VOLTAIRE On the History between Kings and Chronicles , 1761. " See
ee on what pretexts, on what facts, on what miracles, on what predictions,
"on what basis this disgusting and abominable history is built."
Important Examination, 1767. Chapter ix.. "The most probable opinion
" is that the books attributed to Solomon, to Daniel, and to others, were
" made in Alexandria."
PAINE Theological Works, 1795. Pagei&i* "I do not suppose that
"the compilers of the Bible made these books (Isaiah, etc.), but rather
" that they picked up some loose anonymous essays and put them together
" under the names of such authors as best suited their purpose." Page 108.
" A very glaring instance of this occurs in the book ascribed to Isaiah ; the
" latter part of the forty-fourth chapter and the beginning of the forty-fifth.
* e so far from having been written by Isaiah, could only have been written
"by some person who lived at least one hundred and fifty years after
" Isaiah was dead."
NOTE. In quoting the above, we virtually quote the modern "Higher
Critics," as anyone may see who examines the writings of the latter. Prof.
G. A. Smith's work on Isaiah, for example, must lose much of its distinctive
marks of supposed originality and value, in view of the older utterances of
infidelity.
8 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
arrive at the conclusions they have so largely
given to the world. But we feel bound, in view
of the facts above stated, to question the validity
of such distinctive claim. Any candid reader, we
think, can scarcely give them credit for exclusive
right to the alleged discoveries, seeing the earlier
rationalists we refer to, who did not profess like
scholastic attainments, made the same declarations
respecting the Scriptures. And if there is to be
honour distributed among the critics s this honour
should be given to who in honour is due namely,
to the earlier discoverers, such as those writers we
have mentioned, and others of their time.
There is, however, to be specially noted a very
marked difference in one respect between the
professed personal beliefs of the modern u Higher
Critics " and of those others we have just named.
And it is to this singular circumstance or
distinction to which we wish to ask the reader's
special attention. Those rationalistic writers of
last century concluded, and very logically so v
that the discovery of errors and fable as they
supposed in the Old Testament, completely
shattered all belief also in the New Testament
Scripture. On the contrary, however s the present
day te Higher Critics "we speak of them
generallyprofess to believe in the great truths
and doctrines of the New Testament. There is
here, therefore, a most surprising difference
between the professed attitude of the Old and
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 9
that of the New Critics , and it is consequently of
very great importance, is it not, to determine the
precise position of the modern u Higher Critics."
This profession of continued belief in the New
Testament facts although many of the " Higher
Critics " express doubts here also has the
appearance of reverence and worshipful homage
of the true God. But we venture to affirm that on
close examination of the statements of the modern
" Higher Critics" regarding Old Testament
Scripture, it will be impossible to allow them the
credit they claim in this matter. And we feel
bound in fairness to say that the Older Critics
referred to were much more consistent, because,
if it is proved that the Old Testament is untrue,
as the modern " Higher Critics " declare, then it
necessarily follows that the New Testament is
untrue also, and that thus Our Lord and His
Apostles and New Testament writers who
believed the Old Testament to be infallibly true/
are made the deliberate propagators of error and
falsehood.
This singular attempt, therefore, on the part of
present day ki Higher Critics " to reconcile their
attack on the Old Testament with their professed
belief in the New Testament, must be pronounced
nothing short of an incredible miracle. Do the
modern " Higher Critics," we ask, believe that
our Lord cast doubts upon the truth of the Old
Testament Scripture ? We do not find it so, The
10 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
very opposite is the case. They uniformly own
that our Lord constantly referred to the Old
Testament as indisputable truth, showing and
declaring that every prophetic utterance therein
must needs be fulfilled, and that "the Scripture
cannot be broken.' 7 In the face of these manifest
facts we must again say that the professed
position of the modern u Higher Critic" is an
exceedingly inconsistent and untenable one. And
when it is calmly looked into, we greatly wonder
how he can permit himself to rest on such a
foundation of sand.
But we wish to press the matter towards a
point. When we find our " Higher Critics"
admit, as they do, that our Lord quoted and
referred to Old Testament Scripture, and that
most pointedly to several portions of it which
they repudiate or treat as fable or myth, we want
to know how they reconcile such contradiction of
Christ with their professed belief in Him as the
true and only Saviour of the world ? It has been
said that the explanation by certain critics of our
Lord's testimony to the truth of the Old
Testament is, that He spoke either under
ordinary human limitations, and, as a man, was
not fully acquainted with the science of the
subject, or that He chose to accommodate Himself
in His Scripture references to what was simply
the common belief among the people of the time.
Such are the blasphemous explanations, as we must
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. II
regard them, attributed to the so-called " Higher
Critics." But whether these dark counsels belong
to them or not, or whether they have any
explanation to give for our Lord's solemn
asseverations respecting the absolute truth of Old
Testament Scripture, they cannot get quit of the
great outstanding fact of their evident and
persistent opposition to Him in regard to these
Scriptures, This is simply a case calling for just
judgment by the living Church of God on the
evidence available. It is nothing more and
nothing less than this, and it is, we maintain, a
matter of such gravity that the withholding ot
that judgment must bespeak unfaithfulness to an
imperative Christian duty.
Let us endeavour, therefore, to realize how the
" Higher Critics '' actually stand personally in
this their attitude towards our Lord. So far as
ascertained they admit that our Lord never either
by word or act cast doubt upon a single jot or
tittle of Holy Scripture, And if anyone thinks
otherwise it only shows he is ignorant of Him
and of His teaching. In direct contrast to such a
suggestion, however, they, and all who have any
acquaintance with the subject, acknowledge that
one very special feature of our Lord's teaching
and testimony was the unqualified emphasis He
placed on Scripture from beginning to end. And
we do not doubt it was in anticipation of the evil
spirit of infidelity, among other reasons, which
12 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
led Him so frequently to call attention to its
authority and preciousness, thus putting His
Sovereign stamp upon every word which it
contained.
This being so, and the position of the " Higher
Critics ' T being as shown, we wish to summon
them before the bar of common rectitude for
examination.
They are perfectly aware and acknowledge, as
already said, that our Lord believed in the
Scripture, and made constant reference to it as
infallibly true. There is no escaping the evidence
on the point. We have, therefore, the duty laid
upon us, and all who are interested in the truth, to
see if their professions will bear investigation.
They hold, they say, to Christ as the true and
only Saviour of the world, and that they worship
and rely on Him alone for salvation. This is
undoubtedly the profession of the " Higher
Critics," for many of them preach, occasionally at
least, and speak from texts taken from both Old
and New Testaments to show their professed
belief, and to ask others to believe with them.
We scarcely require to give specimens of what
we refer to, their professions and teaching being
well known in almost every Church circle, but we
will introduce and treat of one sample only of the
11 Higher Criticism" taken from a book entitled
" Studies in Theology," by a much respected
theologian, the Rev. James Demiey, D.D., who has
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 13
been very generally pronounced one of the most
evangelical of the " Higher Critics." Referring
to the opening chapters of Genesis, which contain
the account of the Creation and the Fall, this
writer declares these chapters to be " neither
science nor history,' 7 but " myth," and he
explicitly thus writes:- "The plain truth, and
'we have no reason to hide it, is, that we do not
" know the beginnings of man's life, of his history,
" of his sin." And again he says " We do not
"know the beginnings of man's life on historical
"evidence, and we should be content to let them
"remain in the dark till science throws what light
" it can upon them."
These are startling statements from this lauded
theologian, and to show how such views differ
from the testimony of our Lord concerning the
contents of these chapters in Genesis, we will
simply give the following remarks of an able and
thoughtful writer which bring out this very dis-
tinctly. a We are simply amazed," this writer
remarks, 4< when we consider how the words of
" Jesus have grasped almost the entire range of
1 'the Old Testament history, and have embedded
"it in the New, When Pharisees came tempting
" Him with the question, Is it lawf^d for a man
u to p^{,t away his wife for every cause? He
" answered and said unto them : Have ye not
u read, that He who made them at the beginning
" made them male and female p , and said. For this
u
u
14 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
' ' cause shall a man leave father and mother y ana
u shall cleave to his wife ; and they twain shall be
"one flesh? (Matt. xix. 4, 5.) What did the
" question mean ? Was there not an amount of
" blame in it for not having duly marked an
" authoritative statement which really made an end
" of all question regarding this matter ? But our
" Lord has left no room for doubt as to His mean-
" ing, for He founded His decision upon the words.
^ Wherefore, said He, they are no more twain,
but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined
together \ let not man pitt asunder (verse 6).
Our Lord's argument has force in it only upon
" one supposition, that those words, taken from
" the first and second chapters of Genesis, are the
if - words of God, But it is plain that our Lord
" believed the quotation not only to have force in
" it, but also to be absolutely conclusive. The
" words are, therefore, quoted as the words of
" God Himself."
Then, we may add that all the New Testament
writers follow our Lord closely and with entire
unity in their treatment of the Old Testament.
The Apostle Paul, for example, refers over and
over again to these very statements in Genesis
which the ''Higher Critic" we refer to calls
" myth." The Apostle thus writes " The first
"man, Adam, was made a living soul, the last
'''Adam was made a quickening spirit. For as
a by one man's disobedience many were made
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 1$
" sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
4 'be made righteous." But we need not multiply
the references to the narrative of these great
foundation facts, which, in contrast to our Lord's
declarations, the critic calls " myth " and un-
historieal.
Further quotations from this so-called evan-
gelical " Higher Critic" might be given to show
his unbelief in other portions of Scripture, but the
above may be deemed sufficient as an example of
the writer's position, and we will only give a very
curious declaration of his ideas in regard to the
reading of Scripture. It is this : " The witness,' 7
he says, " of the Spirit by and with the Word in
" the soul does not guarantee the historicity of
"miraculous details , but it does guarantee the
u presence of a supernatural element in the history
" recorded. It bars out a criticism which denies
"the supernatural on principle and refuses to
" recognise a unique work of God as in process
" along this line."
Now this author has stated in his writings
referred to, that there are errors all through
Scripture, but it will be seen from the above
quotation how he says the truthful element is to
be extracted. The declaration, however, which
the writer makes about the " witness of the
Spirit " in the soul is a most remarkable one, but
when the quotation is carefully considered, we
make bold to say that such an experience as that
1 6 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
expressed by him has not been found within the
Church of God, past or present. Let us examine
the statement we have quoted.
In the hrst place, we enquire, how is it that
the Spirit, as the writer asserts, is so given that
the reader of Scripture can know what is true and
what is untrue ( for that is the import of the writer's
statement), and yet, that the same Spirit was not
given to the writer of that same Scripture to
enable him to write it correctly ? In short, how
is it that man by the Spirit could not or did not
write the mind of the Spirit without error, but
that by the same Spirit man, according to this
writer, can, in spite of the many errors in it, read
it correctly ? When such a statement as that in
question is therefore placed under a fair logical
and reasonable test, it must, we think, be regarded
as the expression of an experience purely artificial
and imaginary. Then, in the same quotation, it
is to be noted that the writer appears to say that
the Spirit rejects the u miraculous details" in
Scripture, but discerns "the presence of a super-
natural element." Why not guarantee the
" miraculous details " ? We cannot have anything
without details, can we ? Whether it may be a
complete or abridged statement, there must be
details in any case, and we cannot have anything
perfect unless the details are perfect. But it is
the " miraculous details " which we presume is
the difficulty. With the miraculous expunged all
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 17
will be plain, will it ? That is not what is meant,
evidently, because it is owned by the writer that
there is an " element" of the " supernatural"
(another name for the miraculous) in Scripture
history, but only an " element," whatever that
may amount to, which is not clearly defined ; only
this, however, that it Is said to " bar out a criticism
" which denies the supernatural on principle and
" refuses to recognise a unique work of God as in
" process along this line."
There seems to us in the concluding sentence
here a sort of puzzlement, or may we not regard
it as a kind of rhetorical " myth " ? Whatever may
be the exact intention of the writer, it is evident,
at least, that he believes he has found a bar to
exclude those, we suppose, whom he elsewhere
calls the ''irresponsible" critics. As the bar
indicated, however, has limitations only known to
the writer himself, it is therefore, we fear, un-
knowable or invisible to the ordinary reader of
Scripture, There might as well be no such
device, as all the " Higher Critics/' both those
who believe in the " supernatural element " and
those who do not believe in it, are sure to com-
mingle. And we suspect, so far as the safety of
Scripture truth is concerned, the one set of critics
taking the above as a specimen of the best is
about as good as the other. When coming upon
the familiar sacred words, "witness of the Spirit,"
we would expect some bond- fide statement in
B
1 8 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
harmony with them, but, instead, they seem only
to serve for the gilding of an idea of the writer's
own, which, we believe, has no support whatever
in Holy Writ*
We have thus noticed one out of the many
examples of the " Higher Critics " which might
be taken to show their opposition to the plain
emphatic teaching of our Lord in regard to Old
Testament Scripture. We would now proceed
more directly to remark that our great concern is
to see how it can be possible for men, consistently
with the admission of such views, to believe in
Christ as their Redeemer. If they contradict our
Lord respecting the truth of Scripture -and the
evidence of this is beyond doubt they necessarily
declare themselves superior to Him in know-
ledge, that His teaching was erroneous respecting
Scripture, and that He thus misled the people on
most important articles of faith and duty. We
cannot, therefore, we hold, in view of these facts,
be justified in accepting the profession of faith in
our Lord by the " Higher Critics " as a genuine
profession.
If such conflicting views respecting Scripture
had come from ignorant or partially instructed
persons, excuse might in charity have been
found for their unwitting opposition to Christ,
*NOTE. It may be noted here, by the way, that one of the worst features
of the Critics appears now to be the attempt to make the Apostolic teach-
ing conflict with the teaching of our Lord. The depth of this perversity
it would be difficult to fathom.
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE.
but in the case of the u Higher Critics " no such
excuse can be urged on their behalf. In full view
of the circumstances and facts, it is clearly, we
hold, an impossibility for such men in any true
sense to believe and rest upon Christ alone for
salvation. We put the question calmly to any
sincere upright man of intelligence : How could
he rely upon a Saviour with such imperfections
and making such misrepresentations respecting
Scripture as the "Higher Critics )J by their
writings declare He has done ? The idea is
utterly preposterous. No man of ordinary sanity
of mind could believe that any person who held
such views respecting our Lord could really
worship Him in spirit and in truth. Is this not
the only conclusion to be arrived at ? Is there
any way of escape here for the " Higher Critic " ?
Is it possible that he can in s^ich case be walking
in fellowship with o^^,r Lord? The supposition is
evidently out of the question ; yet he makes this
profession. But any sober reflection on the
nature of the case must lead to the inevitable and
painful discovery that the thing is impossible.
For, to hold that a genuine profession of faith in
Christ, along with rejection of His teaching on
such momentous matters, can co-exist in the heart
and soul of the same person, is distinctly not only
against every principle of logic, but an outrage on
the common laws of judgment and conscience.
This is not a case, as some may imagine.
20 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
which is to be judged of on the principle of
placing an evil work over against a supposed good
work and striking the balance between them.
Some may say, if the work of the a Higher
Critics r) be incorrect and evil let it be charged
against them ; and also, if they profess to rely
on and worship our Lord notwithstanding, let
them be credited accordingly. But the sophistry
of such a proposition must be very apparent,
because the professed relationship of the '' Higher
Critics " to our Lord must determine their every
action. For, to do otherwise, would be to hold
that a man may deliberately and of set purpose
serve God and the devil alternate!}^ and be
blameless.
It is a fearful act, is it not, to speak in
opposition to our Lord in any wise? Only
consider it. He was not only declared a perfect
man and without sin, but the Holy Ghost was
upon H.'m withoiit measiwe from the beginning of
His public ministry among men. He needed not
that any should testify of man, for He knew what
was in man. Then ? He was God as well as man,
hence His knowledge was unlimited and unerring,
Was He not the very Truth itself? And did He
not possess more wisdom and knowledge than the
whole human race combined ever had or ever can
have ? Who dare doubt it ? If He is the God
whom the " Higher Critics " profess to believe
in, He must necessarily occupy this exalted
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 21
position in their esteem. They knoiv that there
is no neutral position here for them to take up,
and on either horn of the dilemma they choose
they must be held condemned. "Which of you
convinceth me of sin ? '' et Heaven and earth
shall pass away, but My words shall not pass
away.' 7 It is never to be forgotten also that He
spoke largely of Scripture after His resurrection,
and opened the minds of His disciples to understand
the Scriptures. Mark the words : " Then opened
He their understanding, that they might under-
stand the Scriptures " (Luke xxiv. 45). And
what He did on this occasion He continued to do,
and still continues to do through the Holy Spirit,
according to His promise. The whole New
Testament itself is the most signal proof of that
divine operation on the minds of His chosen
apostles and teachers, and it is but the simple
well-known truth to say that in every great
awakening among men through the power of the
Holy Spirit from that day to this, there has ever
been, along with supreme love to God, an
intensified confidence in Holy Scripture as
inerrant from beginning to end. And in com-
parison with this testimony of experience, is it
likely, we ask, that the " Higher Critic '' is of
those whose understanding has been so opened ?
And do his writings and teaching all testify to the
truth of such a divine operation upon himself?
All evidence, alas, declares the contrary. If, on
22 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
the other hand, the " Higher Critic " had been so
possessed and moved by the Holy Spirit, he
would certainly have shown an entirely different
attitude towards the Word of God. He would
have been more like unto the Apostle John, who,
when in vision he beheld the Son of man, ' fell
at His feet as dead."
But as we survey the actual situation occupied
by the " Higher Critics," and reflect on their case,
it becomes difficult whether most to regard them
with contempt or pity, as the whole features thus
disclosed to us present, indeed, little other than
that of a systematic hypocrisy.
And, in concluding this indictment, we would
summarily emphasize the manifest unreality of
the profession of Christianity on the part of the
4< Higher Critics."
Notwithstanding all their writings and teaching
in contradiction of Christ respecting the Old
Testament Scriptures, they yet, apparently without
a blush, come forward and boldly assert that they
seek to have the mind of Christ and to be His
true and faithful witnesses. In other words, they
profess to occupy the holy and blessed position of
the Spouse of Christ. But the proof of this, alas,
is sadly awanting.
Their great cry has been for liberty, and they
have taken it. Not, however, the liberty where-
with Christ maketh free, but the liberty may we
not say of the libertine. They have had what
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 23
we may designate their " high places, 7 ' call them
chairs of Apologetics, or of Science, or whatever
name you choose, but to these <c high places ''
have they taken their supreme Lord and Master
with them ? Rather, do we not see Him com-
pletely ignored therein, and instead, a display of
all the characteristics of the unfaithful, dis-
obedient, and adulterous spirit? These features
time after time have appeared in the Churches of
late years, springing from the sources alluded to.
And we have, we think, observed leaders, in
certain Churches at least, who have striven hard
by all the delicate ingenuities of compromise and
time-service to condone the flagrant and fatal
corruption. But we believe, on the very highest
grounds, no cloak can ever be woven by the
most skilful leaders or standard-bearers which will
cover up the foul spectacle of this great Apostasy.
And it only requires ordinary Christian intelligence
to see that, in whatever Church the so-called
" Higher Criticism " is taught and embraced, that
Church has already fallen, and must necessarily
decay and die.
II.
THE WORTHLESS CHARACTER
OF THE
u
WORK OF THE HIGHER CRITICS."
'HE great impelling motive in oar reading
and study of the Scriptures should be it is
doubtless admitted love of the truth. And
under the influence of the Divine Spirit we
naturally turn to our Lord, the source and
manifestation of love and truth, the infallible
example and guide in all our enquiries and
research. We should not be ashamed to confess
that our standard of appeal on all questions of
belief must be the words of our Lord from first to
last. And in every difficulty which may arise,
our chief enquiry should ever be, What has He
declared regarding these Scriptures ? and also,
which is the same thing, What have His Apostles
and other divinely inspired New Testament
writers and teachers said of them ? Thus we feel
THE HIGHER CRITICISM. 25
bound to declare that we dare not form any
opinion contrary to our Lord respecting these
Scriptures ; and by this attitude it will be seen
and admitted that the final and only sure settle-
ment of this whole matter of Scripture truth,
turns, after all, upon the question of supreme
authority. It will therefore be at once apparent
that we cannot admit the " Higher Critics," nor
any other conclave of men, not divinely inspired,
however great and varied their acquirements
or pretensions, to settle any question which may
arise or may be put forward in connection with
the truth of Scripture, whether as regards its
historical or doctrinal contents.
We make these remarks because there has
been a growing tendency on the part of the
u Higher Critics " to assume an exclusive right
to dictate to the ordinary reader what he is to
believe and what he is not to believe concerning
Scripture. Such a claim, however,, no serious,
intelligent reader can entertain for a moment.
But it may be proper and useful to look into the
nature of the particular work of the " Higher
Critics." And we would, therefore, proceed
briefly to enquire as to the truth or falsehood of
the alleged discoveries of error and fable in the
Scriptures. Have the " Higher Critics,," then, we
ask, proved that the Old Testament Scriptures are
either legendary or incorrect, as they have all in
many instances assumed and declared ? The
26 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
answers we have from themselves appear to be
that they are not sure of having absolutely proved
any one of their assertions, and it is evident that
ass^^,mptions on their part are to be taken for their
proofs.
It is, however, to be acknowledged that they
have exhibited by certain processes of criticism
a very abundant quantity of alleged discrepancies,
errors and " myths." By these new processes
they have opened up a rich literary field, of a
kind, for themselves, and the work produced by
them in that new field being now so large and
imposing, they have become in many quarters
singularly confident and daring. By their mutual
acknowledgment of each other in whatever
amount of conjecture they severally produce, they
appear to conclude, notwithstanding the entire,
absence of proof, that their work must be right.
Now, while it is true the results of the
" Higher Criticism " have been widely dissem-
inated, and many have weakly and sadly fallen
under its specious and seductive influence, it is at
the same time becoming more and more evident to
earnest and thoughtful enquirers on the subject that
the work of the " Higher Critics " is made up of
presumption and pretension. And it is found that
there is not only no proof of their declarations
against the accuracy and truth of Old Testament
Scripture, but that some of their strongest and
most plausible positions, on which they had been
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 2?
building their mountains of guess-work, have
given way and been completely overthrown by
recent discoveries, the absolute truth of the
Scripture being anew confirmed.
Professor Sayce, who is probably the very
greatest authority on Archaeology, and who has
now found out the errors of the " Higher Criticism,"
thus writes in his " Patriarchal Palestine":
" Monumental research," he remarks, "is making
" it clearer every day that the scepticism of the
" so-called * Higher Criticism ' is not justified in
"fact." Again he says, a While criticism, so-
" called, has been busy in demolishing the records
" of the Pentateuch, Archaeology, by the spade of
"'the excavator and the patient skill of the
ei decipherer, has been equally busy in restoring
" their credit ; and the monuments of the past
" are a more solid argument than the guesses and
"prepossessions of the modern theorist. The
" clay tablet and inscribed stone are better
"witnesses to the truth than literary tact or
ts critical scepticism. That Moses and his
"contemporaries could neither read nor write
u may have been proved to demonstration by the
"critic; yet nevertheless we now know, thanks to
"Archaeological discovery, that it would have
"been a miracle if the critic were right. The
" Pentateuch is, after all, what it professes to be,
"and the records it contains are history and
"not romance."
28 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
The most that the i( Higher Critics" have done
has been to exhibit their inventive powers in
what can be written on certain theoretical
principles, adopted and applied by them within
the fields of a so-called literature and science in
reference to Old Testament Scripture, and by such
methods have produced a great number and
variety of new ideas. They allege they have
found a vast number of different authors, not the
reputed authors, who have had part in the com-
position of the books of the Old Testament.
They can, they seem to say, discover the
beginnings and endings of the several writers,
and these are so numerous that they have had to
draw considerably from the letters of the alphabet
to have these authors duly marked and recognised.
This kind of work, however ingenious, can never
be regarded as at all trustworthy, and indeed may
well be treated, from what we now know, as
absolutely absurd, If these methods of the
"Higher Critics'' were adopted in reference to
the writings of almost any well known author of
celebrity, any reader of such works might find a
plurality of authorship. Nearly every author has
much variety of expression and style, according to
subject and circumstances. Take, for example,
that of Sir Walter Scott, how diversified his
works and course of life. It would be discovered
by the critic, acting on the above principle, that
the Scott who wrote "M arm ion" could not
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 29
be the author of " The Tales of a Grandfather."
The man who wrote " Waverley " and the " Heart
of Midlothian " could not be the man who sat as
judge in the Sheriff Court; and the man who
followed the hounds and loved his dogs so
ardently must be a different person from any one
of these.
The " Higher Critics " do not tell us all the
names and individual history of those supposed
writers they thus discover. This might be too
much to expect, although we do not see why
they should not on similar hypothesis give us a
complete history of such hitherto undiscovered
authors. But there is one important item of
information they generally appear careful to
suggest namely, that there are grave doubts as to
most of the reputed authors having in almost any
case written much of the books which stand in
their name. A very notable instance of this denial
of authorship on the part of the critics is their
reference to Moses, to which we have previously
alluded. They have all demonstrated to their own
satisfaction, evidently, for some years now, that
Moses did not, and indeed could not, write the
Pentateuch, as writing was then entirely unknown,
but that about 700 or 800 years after his time,
when the art of writing came into use, some
author or authors wrote the books of the
Pentateuch, and by forgery attached the name of
Moses thereto. Such is an example of the
30 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
splendid work done by our superlatively wise
men of light and leading. We believe, however,
owing to recently well-established facts of history
disclosed by the Archaeologist on the point, the
" Higher Critics " will be absolutely obliged to
allow Moses to come back again to the place he
originally stood, and as represented in the
Pentateuch itself.
But when Moses is allowed to take his former
rightful place, where then, we ask, should the
critics have their situation ? When robbers are
caught and the goods stolen are restored to their
owner, does the matter end there ? We may be
sure that although the " Higher Critics " may thus
despise and defy the law of Moses they will yet
have to reckon with it. And shall they still go
on in such work ? The statements, all new and
wonderful, by the critics, are, we presume, now
so large and daily increasing that to attempt to
enumerate or classify them adequately is hardly
possible, and although the whole is de facto an
accumulation of sophistry and doubt, we are
nevertheless expected to hail their work with
thankfulness and admiration. But to this we
know every true believer in the Word of God will
entirely demur, and feel bound to offer an
unqualified protest. From what we have already
seen done at the hands of the " Higher Critics "
we become increasingly convinced that all the
alleged discoveries in Scripture, of interpolations
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 31
and errors of every description, are to be rejected,
because the allegations are all founded upon the
varied conjecture and hypothesis adopted by these
critics. And as the theories are under the
personal control of the individual critic, it is but
fair to say that the theory in each case must be
made to do duty in accordance with the purpose
of its maker. The results, therefore, of such
work must be estimated according to its proved
worth or worthlessness,
If, for example, these respectable and serious
" Higher Critics," as they have been characterized,
were summoned before a judge in any of our
Courts of Justice to produce their proofs of
alleged errors in the Scriptures, it would be found
that such evidence as they are dealing out in
shoals to the public would not for a moment be
regarded as admissible. Their voluminous specula-
tions, with attempted alterations of writings of
from 2,000 to 5,000 or 6,000 years old, may
indeed be a great curiosity to those who have no
other interest in such work. What they thus
produce, so to speak, out of their own "inner
consciousness/' or what one of themselves calls
" Spiritual instinct " the voices of the ancient
monuments and tablets crying out all the while
against them may well be a wonder of the world,
and they may deserve a niche among the most
ingenious writers of fiction in this or any age.
But as for their suppositions, all unproved, or
32 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
rather disproved, which they give forth continually,,
when subjected to careful judicial examination,
none, we conclude, but the most credulous of
mankind could place upon them the slightest
reliance.
It is very remarkable that men like the " Higher
Critics," who have had, we can believe, in most
instances, much experience in the common affairs
of life, should so readily reject the history and
general statements contained in Scripture. Apart
even from the unerring guidance of the Divine
Spirit, it seems most unwise to doubt the truth of
any portion of Scripture because of the mere
semblance of error therein. Their own individual
experience, limited though in a sense it must be,
one would have thought would have taught them
great caution. For they must know how often in
daily life many alleged errors and contradictions
arise, even of a most extraordinary kind, which,
but for the necessary explanation, would produce,
and often do produce, erroneous beliefs and im-
pressions. Very striking examples of the kind
are to be found less or more in the lives of
parents and their children. It has often occurred
that some incident or remark indelibly fixed in
the mind of a child has remained there under
entirely false meaning until the child grew to
maturity, when a fuller understanding completely
removed the misapprehension. If, therefore, there
can be no excuse for a child under such circum-
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 33
stances doubting the action or word of a worthy
parent, how infinitely less excusable must the
child of larger growth be in doubting the words
or acts though not understood of the Eternal
and All-wise Creator of Heaven and Earth.
We have, so far, been assuming that we are
arguing with truth-seekers. But, while many of
the leading " Higher Critics " may be regarded
as sincere in their attachment to certain views of
their school, it would be positively against the
clearest evidence adduced were we to regard all
the leaders in that light. If Voltaire, or Paine,
and some others were sincere men, it may be said
they were sincerely wicked. We are willing to
admit that many of the followers of the modern
"Higher Critics" are doubtless sincere and the
innocent victims of others, but it would not be
true to say that the pioneers or founders of the
" Higher Criticism " were free from the gravest
suspicions as to their perfect honesty of purpose.
Take for example the great representative leader
of the " Higher Criticism," Wellhausen. What do
we find from his great book, the " Prolegomena" ?
Let anyone carefully read the critique of that book
by Dr. W. L, Baxter, and follow out in patient
detail the evidence produced, and he will discover
a perfect mine of hollowness and unveracity.
Dr. Baxter, in his book, *' Sanctuary and Sacrifice,
has given a masterly reply to Wellhausen's criticism
of the Old Testament. He has examined the
34 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
" Higher Criticism " theories in minute detail from
point to point on Wellhausen's own ground, and
any ordinary reader, as the author himself states,
can form his own judgment on the subject. From
an evidently intense dislike of everything Divine
and unerring in the sacred books of Scripture,
Wellhausen has set himself with all his powers of
ingenuity and audacity to work out his theories
and hypotheses, which, if true, would subvert and
set aside the whole Divine authority and credibility
claimed for Scripture. And to effect his purpose
he has not hesitated to work out his imaginative
views by the adoption of something like three
several delusive principles, (i.) He deletes or
cuts out certain portions of Scripture which stand
too directly in the way of his theories, and he
does this without giving the slightest ground of
proof to justify his doing so. (2.) He frequently
refers to various verses, chapters, and books of
Scripture as supporting his theories, but which
Scriptures when examined condemn his argument,
and at the very most, by being twisted from their
true meaning, give only an appearance of support.
(3.) And he further, in striking instances, does not
even hesitate to contradict himself in order to
cover the defects which crop up in his work.
In short, by mutilation and twisting of Scripture,
along with other ideas of imagination wrought into
it, the work stands complete as a decoy from the
truth of Divine revelation.
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 35
The facts witnessing against Wellhausen's in-
ventions referred to are so very numerous that
they are to be counted by the reader in hundreds.
That such a work should have imposed on men
of reputed high scholarship in this country is very
extraordinary. But this ready acquiescence to
follow in the lines of Wellhausen may, we think,
be accounted for to some extent from the fact
that the style of his writing is so subtle and the
audacity so unwavering. And it may not, there-
fore, be so very surprising after all that some men
who have had, it may be, a greater thirst for the
secular than the sacred, should, in reading the
"Prolegomena" have failed to examine at the
same time with the utmost care and this is most
essential the whole Scripture facts bearing on
the subject in hand. We have no intention of
going into the details treated so ably by Dr.
Baxter, but we earnestly commend the examination
of his exhaustive work on Wellhausen, because it
may be said, without exaggeration, that the
" Prolegomena," vouched to be the standard work
of the " Higher Criticism " by no less a name
than that of the late Professor W. Robertson
Smith, has been thoroughly pulverized. And we
believe no candid reader of Dr. Baxter's exposure
of the work will henceforth be able to rely on
anything which that German writer may produce.
One of the u Higher Critics' " usually professed
strongholds, as we have already indicated, is his
36 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
boasted acquaintance with Hebrew and ancient
literature ; but this claim, put forth by them and
frequently dangled, as it were, before the eyes of
the ordinary Bible reader, has been found quite
unwarrantable from the facts of the case. We do
not attempt to enter into any detailed argument,
which is unnecessary, but let Kuenen, another of the
great leading pioneer " Higher Critics," give his
declaration on this important point. He has written
thus {Modern Review, July 1880): ''The critic
" does not profess to find any additional documents
** inaccessible to the laity, nor does he profess to
u find anything in his Bible that the ordinary
"reader cannot see. It is true that here and
" there he improves the common translation : but
" this is the exception, not the rule. And yet he
" dares to form a conception of Israel's religious
" development totally different from that which,
" as anyone may see s is set forth in the Old Tes-
u lament, and to sketch the primitive Christianity
" in lines which even the acutest reader cannot
"recognise in the new."
Such is the candid confession of the " Higher
Critics," which clearly warrants us in identifying
them with the older rationalists. And from this
confession, as anyone may note, we get a glimpse
into the limitations and impotence of the u Higher
Critics." If they have, as they admit, the same
Scripture which is equally accessible to the
ordinary reader, how comes it that they take the
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE.
liberties they do in deleting portions of it, and also
of reading into it totally different ideas from those
which the text, as it stands, will admit ? Do they
claim a special induement of the Divine Spirit in
the execution of such work ; and are we to wait
on them, as on the chosen Prophets of Old, for
direction ? Their claims for themselves are doubt-
less great and diverse. They claim to be Scholars,
Philosophers, Scientists, and even to possess
occult powers, in some instances ; hence all
ordinary readers of the Scriptures must place
confidence in them. This is a revived priestcraft,
in a new form, which has invaded the Protestant
Churches ; and no doubt man in his natural slate,
who finds the Word of God charging him with
guilt and this is a universal experience whenever
the true light enters the soul 'Sometimes too
readily takes refuge in the unbelieving devices of
the " Higher Criticism. ' It is a solace to him,
even on the mere word of another, dressed with a
little self-imposed authority, to be informed that
the Scriptures are not true, and that he is a very
much better person than these Scriptures repre-
sent him to be. Bat we are sure no earnest
seeker of the truth, and the truth only, can be
satisfied with the pretentious claims to superior
wisdom on the part of the " Higher Critics/'
We are bound, therefore, to cross-question our so-
called learned " experts " in regard to their treat-
ment of the text of Holy Scripture. They say,
38 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
as we have seen from one of their greatest leaders,
that they have exactly the same Scripture as that
of the ordinary reader. If so, on what authority
do they alter the text ? Their usual reply is that
the compilers, copyists, redactors, so-called, etc.,
made changes in the original, and they, the Critics,
are now putting the matter right. It may be easy
for the Critics to make such statements, but is
there any truth in them ? We have often wondered
greatly how they have arrived at their various,
and not seldom, contradictory conclusions. It is
now clearly shown, as stated by Professor Sayce,
that the art of writing was known and largely in
use in the time of Moses, and that the deciphering
of ancient monuments and tablets recently dug up
confirms the truth of the Pentateuch. But we
are deeply interested and eager to know how the
Critics have obtained their information ? What
kind of evidence (if any) have they relied upon in
making the statements they have so often done,
and on which they have built up their neological
structure ? Who or what witnesses have they
in proof of the alleged errors and romance in
Scripture, and to justify the additions they read
into it ?
If, according to the " Higher Critics' " own
declarations, there were no writings extant till
long after the time of Moses, contemporary
history is out of the question, and no witnesses
therefore from such imagined sources can be
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 39
produced. Then, as we know, the Archaeologist,
a most important witness, is also against them.
Where then is their evidence for evidence we
presume they at least profess to have ? They
would not write so confidently their repudiation of
Scripture unless they had some persuasive
evidence in support of their allegations. Having
no aid, however, from the discoveries of the
Archaeologist, and also none from ancient contem-
porary history, all tangible evidence must therefore,
it is apparent, be extremely circumscribed. But
the persuasive in the case is not altogether
awanting, and their resources are greater than
most would imagine. For we find they have one
or perhaps two witnesses which we believe they
rely upon and put forward in support of their
alleged discoveries of error and fable in Scripture ;
but we fear, on examination of these, they
will have to be classed under the category of
false witnesses. We refer to their reliance upon
" inner consciousness," and also a so-called
" Spiritual instinct" It may well be asked, Are
these, after all, as they really appear to be, the
chief, if not the sole witnesses the " Higher
Critics " have in proof of their extraordinary
criticism of Holy Scripture ?
Now, we do not despise either of these witnesses
if they are absolutely perfect. If evolution were
a fact, as many have taught, and not simply a
plausible delusion, and if it were further the fact
40 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
that man had now, even in a single instance,
through an evolutionary process, attained to
absolute perfection, then it would naturally follow
that his Dinner consciousness ^ would be reliable,
and from that shrine of perfection the utterance
would be truth, and truth only. Hence we can
believe that if the " Higher Critics " have
attained to such perfection of being, we are safe
in accepting their every statement as unchallenge-
able. But are we prepared, is anyone prepared,
to exalt the " Higher Critics," either singly or in
their combined attainments, to such a pinnacle ?
Who dare exalt man to such a position ? Only
ignorance or gross superstition can do so. Man is
indeed a great mystery. To the Physiologist he is an
inexhaustible source of wonder, and perhaps more
so to the Philosopher or Metaphysician. But the
more fully he is understood, the more certainly is
it found that he has in no single instance been
evolved to a state of perfection, and that, moreover,
the expectation of attaining perfection through
such a process is a hopeless one. On the other
hand, according to the Scripture account of man,
we discover a totally different history from that
we have just referred to. We find that he was
at first created by God in perfect innocence, and
in the Divine image, but through the great
temptation of the Evil One, he, of his own free
will, sinned and fell, and from that moment, and
ever since, has been in a state of alienation from
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 4!
God, and that only through the great and complete
atonement provided by God Himself for Sin, and
through being born again of the Divine Spirit,
can he take one single step towards perfection.
Thus it is with man that, while remaining in what
is called his natural state (the fallen corrupted
nature ineradicably remaining in him), he is under
condemnation of God, and is morally and
spiritually dead. And those who experimentally
know most of man, and have penetrated deepest
into the recesses of his nature, all verify, we
believe, most thoroughly the Scripture account
of him. When man is created anew, regenerated
of God through the Divine Spirit, it is to be
remarked that, while that new creation or new
Divine life in the soul is perfect, and, as the
Apostle has declared, cannot sin, because it is born
of God, yet, that new nature being still the dweller
within the old nature or body of sin and death,
man therefore can never be entirely free from sin
till he becomes also the possessor of a transformed
or glorified body. Many, as we know, combat this
view of the history and character of the race, and
so deny the depravity and lost condition of the
natural man, and also deny the necessity of the
new birth; but no rebellion against the truth of
Scripture, so amply testified to by personal
experience, will alter the facts one hair's-breadth.
The very usual wrath, indeed, displayed against
the testimony of the Word of God is but another
42 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
proof of the natural condition as described in that
Word.*
We have here said more on the Fall and
Redemption of man than might perhaps be
considered essential in reference to the work of
the "Higher Critics." But we have thought it
may be useful and proper to make these remarks,
as it will readily be seen from the Scripture
account of man, as we have endeavoured to indi-
cate, that no one in the natural state, however
highly cultivated and developed his natural gifts
and powers may be, can be at all reliable as an
authority in regard to things Divine. We there-
fore reject in toto the dictum of "inner conscioiisness"
to which some, if not most, of the " Higher
Critics" lay claim, and must regard their critical
utterances respecting alleged errors and romance
in Scripture as so much learned ignorance, and
altogether illusory. In reference to the other
source of evidence which some of the " Higher
Critics" rely upon namely, * ' Spiritual instinct"
we have only to consider the general attitude and
* NOTE. Few, if any, deny that the human lace aie sinters, and even
great sinners, but net a few theological teachers in these days appear lo
have imbibed shallow views of the nat^tre of Sin, overlooking its depth
and infinity, and denying etetfnal ruin by it. And owing mainly we believe
to this although they profess to follow Christ they seem to teach that man
may enter into and enjoy the Fatherhood of God without the subsiitu-
tionary sacrifice of Christ, and without being born again of the Holy Spirit.
The self-delusion and vain confidence thus produced are, we fear, widely
prevalent. Such men have generally a new doctrine for every month of
the year. _., 7TJ
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 43
declarations of the " Higher Critics '' to discover
a complete condemnation of such a claim on their
part. As we have found, they directly oppose
our Lord and all New Testament writers in
regard to* Old Testament Scripture. Where then,
we ask, do they obtain their " Spirfaial instinct^ ?
This is the crucial question. It cannot be
through the same Spirit which possessed our
Lord and His Apostles, otherwise there would
be unity of utterance with our Lord and His
Apostles on matters of such transcendent impor-
tance as that of Holy Scripture. And the
pointing out of this antagonism between the
Critics and our Lord is a sufficient answer to
their claims to the guidance of a " Spiritual
instinct." All who ponder the subject must be
convinced that wherever the " Spiritual instinct "
may come from, it does not and cannot possibly
come from a Divine source.
It has been said that the Bible is behind the
age in which we live as regards the facts of
science, and some commentators, vainly imagining
this, have entered into very doubtful explanations
to account for seeming antagonism between
science so-called and Scripture. But the Bible
requires no apologist of any kind, for, while it
must ever be perfectly true that the great purpose
of Divine revelation is to teach the truths con.
cerning the higher and everlasting kingdom of
God, it does not ignore the laws of the kingdom
44 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
of Nature; and as the Scripture is from the same
Hand which created the material universe, its
teaching is necessarily in advance of what is called
.science. Hence any appearance of collision with
alleged scientific discoveries is owing either to the
imperfection of the scientist on the one hand or
of the commentator on the other.
We are not to be surprised at the rejection of
Scripture either by the wise or the unwise, because
we may discover the distinct counterpart of all
this in the treatment which our Lord received at
the hands of men while here on earth. The
difficulties of men, even of His immediate
friends and followers, to understand our Lord
Himself should explain to us the difficulties and
consequent rejection of that Scripture on which
He has so often set His seal, and at the same
time should apprise us of the corresponding
danger attending its rejection. The mystery
surrounding certain parts of Scripture may be too
profound for the human understanding, and
indeed it must be so, as it is from our eternal
Lord. But in His presence, amid all mystery we
have unbounded security, and may well be silent
before Him whose love, wisdom and power are
infinite and unchangeable,
It may be asked, Do we and all those who con-
demn the work of the " Higher Critics " find no
difficulties in Scripture ? Our answer, as already
indicated, must be in the affirmative. But while
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 4$,
there are confessedly portions of these Scriptures
we cannot as yet understand or fully explain, we
do not doubt their truthfulness, and are sure that,
every seeming obscurity will in due time be
entirely removed. As in the material universe
we are permitted to know much, and all that may
be essential to our chief good, we yet find that
man, even the greatest philosopher and scientist,
has to confess that he has at his best only touched
the mere surface of things. What he has dis-
covered has but inspired him with the belief that
there are infinite depths of mystery in the material,
world all around him, into which he has not even
the capacity to enter, much less to comprehend.*
So also in the spiritual kingdom, which is the
greatest of all. While the revelation of the
mind and purpose of God has been conspicuously
shown in Holy Scripture, and all that is gloriously
needful for the security of man's present and
eternal interests, there are yet found in these
writings certain statements over which we are
compelled to confess inability to comprehend:
aright. But all this does not and should not
cause us to question their absolute truthfulness or
the possibility of explanation in entire harmony
* That was a remarkable confession made by the great and venerable
scientist, Lord Kelvin, at his jubilee held in Glasgow recently. " One
"word," he said, "characterises the most strenuous of the efforts for the
" ad van cement of science that I have made perseveringly for fifty-five
" years, and that word is failure. I know no more of electric and magnetic
"iorce or of the relation between ether, electricity and ponderable matter....
" or of chemical affinity, than I knew fifty years ago."
46 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
with all the other facts of Scripture clearly made
known. In Heaven itself, may we not say, there
will be an infinity of things unknown for the
redeemed to learn. Yet we know that no trace
of the defilement of rebellion or doubt shall ever
enter there.
And in considering further these difficulties,
great or small, which arise in the study of Scrip-
ture, we have abundant reasons to counsel our-
selves against impatience. When we find, as we
do, the stamp of Divine authority upon them all,
this should be enough to satisfy us. And besides,
we may certainly look upon the portions of
Scripture not yet fully understood as not only a
test of the believer's faith and of his loyalty to
our Lord, but also as containing, it may be, some
rich treasure in reserve for all who truly wait for
Him. Without referring to any merely verbal
difficulties not yet clear, we would note that some
of the great doctrines of Scripture, although
accepted as most precious and unassailable, are
nevertheless infinite in their depth of meaning,
and will require eternity to exhaust their fulness.
When we think of man's infinitesimal powers as
contrasted with the Divine, we are not to wonder
at his impotence and inability to comprehend
accurately and fully either the works or words of
God ; but as believers we ought to look forward
to the glorious things yet to be revealed when the
seals shall be opened by Him who died and rose
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 47
again and who liveth for evermore. We have
had instances in our own as well as in the recorded
experiences of others, have we not, of many once
apparently insoluble difficulties cleared away ?
And there is one instance in the history of the
Church surpassing all others in its momentous-
ness which may certainly be taken, we think, as
the most signal evidence that nothing is im-
possible with God. We refer to the mystery
which surrounded the sufferings and death of
Christ. Let us briefly consider it. We enter the
garden of Gethsemane and follow Him to the
Judgment Hall, and see Him on the Cross and then
laid in the grave. What an overwhelming
difficulty at that time was experienced by His
immediate followers. Here was the One whom
they loved, the Prince of Life, One who had
walked on the sea as on dry land, by a word had
fed many thousands with a few loaves and fishes,
had healed the sick, cleansed the lepers^ made
the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, and raised
the dead to life. And yet, although having thus
shown infinite majesty and power over the whole
realm of Nature, He now appears perfectly helpless
in the hands of His enemies. Do we wonder
that His disciples became sad, and in their
deepest perplexity were without an answer to give
to His malignant persecutors when they so com-
pletely, as it seemed for the time, triumphed over
Him ? It is true the disciples had our Lord's
48 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
own word before these events that such a fate
awaited Him. But it was, so to speak, only His
word which they had to rely on, and which, in
their anxiety, they scarcely understood. And, as
we see, that word almost lost its power over them
in the great crisis. Was there ever before or
since such an insoluble difficulty experienced as in
that instance concerning the word of our Lord ?
No human reasoning on the mystery could ever
of itself have satisfied the mind and heart of the
disciples during those few days prior to the
Resurrection. Let anyone ponder over it, and he
will enter at once into midnight darkness. What
are any difficulties about any unexplained portion
of Old Testament Scripture compared with this ?
All other enigmas sink into insignificance in com-
parison with it. The most loving disciples could
not at the moment understand it. All the events
of the few days seemed overwhelmingly against
their most cherished expectations. But look at
the wicked and unbelieving world. With what
fiendish pleasure they exulted over the crucified
One. " He saved others," they cried, " let Him
" save Himself if He be the Christ. Let Him
" now come down from the cross and we will
" believe Him." Such was the difficulty on the
part of the followers of our Lord of holding on
firmly to His bare word, and yet His word to
them was true to the very letter. The triumph
of the wicked at the longest is always short. In
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 49
three days, at the appointed moment, our Lord
rose from the dead, and then that greatest of
seeming contradictions in His life became the
source of their very highest bliss, and has since
and shall for ever be the central glory and song
of the redeemed.
We may marvel that even the disciples did not
cast away their faith altogether in the midst of
such a horror of great darkness as that which
overtook them in the presence of their dying
Lord. But He who hung there also supplied
them with the Divine grace of endurance till the
great work of atonement was completed,
We see that the sufferings and death of Christ
tried the faith of His followers to the very utter-
most, and but for sustaining grace given to each
one of them, they could not have passed through
the awful ordeal in triumph. One of them, we
know, suffered a grievous fall, but was restored
again. We also see at the same time the real
spirit of the wicked during those days of darkness.
If we will just contrast the attitude of the true
with the false as manifested around the Cross we
will understand more perfectly the present
situation in the Churches in regard to the Word
of God, of which we are endeavouring to treat.
That hour when Christ was entirely in the hands
of His enemies may be said, we think, with truth,
to have been the darkest hour to the Church of
God in the history of the world. And the
D
50 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
difficulties of it may well be regarded as swallowing
up all the other difficulties which might ever
arise in the experience of the people of God.
There is no doubt the brevity of the trial of
great darkness has caused many to overlook its
awful severity, but we should not forget it, and
if under such a time of darkness the true disciple
was absolutely secure, so now, amid all the doubts
and denial of the word of our Lord in regard to
every misunderstood or unfulfilled portion of
Scripture, we ought to rest in the peaceful calm
of His abiding presence without a fear.
It will be seen, therefore, from this, that while
we would seek to contend earnestly for the faith
once delivered to the saints, we do not fear the
final issue. His word concerning the infallibility
of Scripture, and His word concerning the safety
of every one of the redeemed and chosen in
Him, are alike, and will, to the very minutest
detail, be verified and made clear before assem-
bled worlds. And even now, before such events
arrive, the song of victory is being sung.
Can the <e Higher Critic," we might plead, not
patiently wait and watch one hour for light in his
darkness ? God's one day is a thousand years,
and the Critic will not, so to say, wait even a few
minutes for the Divine Interpreter. He must
rush headlong among men at the dictates, as we
believe, of a fallen nature, with the vain cry of
delusion and error alleged to be in Scripture, and
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 51
that without a shred of positive proof, and against
the most emphatic testimony of the Divine
Master. Surely, the rationalists are the most
irrational of men.
It cannot but be regarded as an unique
experience in the Christian Church to find such a
numerous body of men, who occupy in many
instances the very highest positions in the Church,
by their pronouncements undermining, as we have
seen, the teaching of our Lord and His immediate
followers on the all-important subject of Old
Testament Scripture. The legitimate place of
the " Higher Critic," as demonstrated by facts,
would be that he should retire into line with the
rationalists of past ages.
In spite, however, of all the evidence adduced
and available against the position taken up by
the Critics, we are still prepared to be told by
them, as well as by many of their merely passive
followers, that no one outside their tl Higher
Critic" circle is entitled to controvert their
criticisms of Holy Scripture. This autocratic
assumption we must be prepared to resist and
wholly repudiate as misleading and dangerous, and
one which no earnest seeker of the truth can
recognise. If it had been the hierarchy in the
Apostate Church of Rome we opposed, no contro-
versy, of course, could be permitted ; but it is,
thanks to the true light of the Gospel, far
different within the Protestant Churches, and we
52 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
would, in union with the whole true brotherhood,
indignantly repel and disown the slightest idea
that we are to call any man master on such vital
matters, or receive any new doctrine without
sifting it to the foundation, And if the " Higher
Critics," like one of the ancients, cut up, as with
their penknife, any portion of Scripture, as they
have long been trying to do, they must be made
to answer for it. We have to remember also that,
as Churches, we are paying t( Higher Critics '*
large salaries in many cases, and when it is being
discovered that they are giving us imaginations
for facts, it may be no great wonder if the
common sense of the ordinary Church member
begins to assert itself in a way which may be
most appreciated by the Critics.
We do not put forward the very usual and quite
legitimate plea of manifest infringement of the
Westminster Confession of Faith, to which many
of the "Higher Critics" have solemnly avowed
their adherence. This plea, it seems to us, would
be all too ridiculous to make, as most of the Critics
we have been referring to, are, in our opinion,
not within ten thousand miles of that Confession,
although, as we have said, not a few of them have
solemnly subscribed, and repeatedly avowed
their allegiance to it.
Our Lord has said that Moses wrote of Him,
and He also said that if men believe not Moses
and the prophets neither will they be persuaded,
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 53
though one rose from the dead. From the
writings of Moses we also further learn that the
imaginations of man's heart are evil, only evil,
and that continually. We cannot but remark
that the Scriptures, indeed, very wonderfully
describe and, as it were, reply to such men as the
'' Higher Critics " and to such work as they are
wont to produce for they belong to an old genera-
tion. Thus :
16 Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients
"of Israel do in the dark, every man in the
" chambers of his imagery? for they say The Lord
u seeth us not ; the Lord hath forsaken the
tf the earth " (Ezek. viii. 12). "Thou hast seen
"all their vengeance and all their reproach, O
" Lord, and all their imaginations against me "
(Lam. iii. 60). Hear the references to the past
and admonitions for the present by the Apostle
to all the true followers of the Lord : " When
"they knew God they glorified Him not as God,
" but became vain in their imaginations, and their
" foolish heart was hardened. Professing them-
" selves to be wise they became fools " (Rom. i.
21, 22). " For though we walk in the flesh we do
" not war after the flesh ... Casting
" down imaginations, and every high thing that
61 exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
i( and bringing into captivity every thought to the
"obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. x. 3 5).
Paul also says : " The time will come when
54 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
" they will not endure sound doctrine ; but after
'' their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
4 ' teachers, having itching ears ; . . . and shall
" be turned unto fables " (2 Tim. iv. 3 4).
Such times as the Apostle predicts we seem to
have fallen upon. And it is most pathetic and
melancholy to find leaders of Churches no longer
walking side by side with the Apostle in defence
of the vScriptures of truth " which cannot be
broken," but, alas ! now to be seen falling down
before the wheels of the Juggernaut of modern
Rationalism !
The '' Higher Critics " and their followers
cannot now believe in the Creation as recorded in
Genesis, nor in the Fall of Man in Eden, nor in
the promised Salvation as there announced, nor in
the story of Cain and Abel, nor in Noah and the
Deluge, nor in the stories of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, nor of Joseph in Egypt, nor of Moses.
They cannot believe in the meeting of God with
Moses, nor in the miracles wrought at his hands,
nor in his being alone with God on Mount Sinai,
nor in all the commands then given him. Nor
can they believe in the forty years' sojourn of the
Israelites in the wilderness. They cannot believe
in the record concerning Job, nor in Jonah's
mission to Nineveh, nor in his being in the whale's
belly. Neither can they believe in the story of
Daniel in the den of lions, nor of the other three
Hebrew youths in the fiery furnace. They cannot
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 55
believe in the truth of these and a multitude of
other facts contained in the sacred writings, as
they are given, in the several books of the Old
Testament. They, the " Higher Critics,'' can
only believe in such portions or fragments of
these Scripture records as their own " inner
consciousness '' or <c Spiritual instinct]' so-called,
may from time to time dictate to them, and from
this sublime position they cannot recede. But
they can, so they profess, believe in our Lord,
who Himself believed to the very letter all these
records in the Bible, and taught, expounded and
enforced them continuously while here on earth.
And they so believe in our Lord that they say
they worship and adore Him as the Great
Teacher, the only perfect One 5 and their only
Saviour from sin and everlasting destruction.
Now, the critic's eye is said to be so educated
and acute that, as compared with the ordinary
reader, he can see, as with a microscope, the
slightest divergence from the truth, from the very
appearance of the composition and style of the
writings of the Old Testament, that he can trace
and tabulate the slightest change or deflection in
structure, insomuch that he can detect not only a
host of hitherto unknown writers, redactors, com-
pilers and interpolators, but that he can discover the
bias and intentions of those various and numerous
scribes 1 All this of itself, if only partially true,
would be most wonderful. And all the more so,
56 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
when we remember that the Hebrew Scriptures
were committed to the keeping of the ancient
chosen people, the Jews, who were so careful of
the sacred trust, that every word, letter, jot and
tittle was counted by them, lest the slightest error
or admixture should at any time enter into the
writings. Such extraordinary attainments on the
part of our modern " Higher Critics " prove to us
that they are much superior to our Lord and His
apostles and other divinely inspired writers !
Our Lord did not find any mistakes or errors
in the Scriptures, but He rebuked the Pharisees
and Scribes who came to Him with their own
traditions. He thus answered them " Well hath
" Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is
" written. This people honoureth Me with their
u lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain do
"they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the
u commandments of men. . . Full well ye reject the
u commandment of God, that ye may keep your
u own tradition." (Mark vii. 6 9.) In thus
denouncing these traditions, which, as will be
seen, were entirely outside the Hebrew Scriptures,
it is to be noticed how He did on this and on other
occasions emphasize the supreme and Divine
authority He attached to what was written in the
Scriptures, and in them only. When the Sad-
ducees came to Him with a question about
immortality, He answered and said unto them :
<' Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 57
" power of God. . . Have ye not read that which
" was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the
" God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the
" God of Jacob ? God is not the God of the
u dead, but of the living." (Matt. xxii. 29 32).
Mark particularly how our Lord deals with that
Scripture. His conclusion as here shown de-
pended solely on the one word am. Had that word
been simply changed to the word was that is to
say, from the present tense to the past tense the
authoritative proof of the Resiwrection from that
Scripture would have fallen to the ground.
There are other instances similar to this, where
on a word and even on a single letter of a word
hang the conclusion of our Lord respecting the
Old Testament Scriptures.
If our Lord had known of any error or corrup-
tion in the sacred writings He would have told
us, but as we know, He made it very clear that He
regarded them as infallibly correct in every jot
and tittle of their composition.
How ignorant and benighted, then, must have
been our Lord, as compared with our modern
scientists, philosophers, and divines, so-called, who
have appeared in these closing years of the
nineteenth century ! How equally ignorant and
benighted were all the Apostles and Divinely
inspired teachers of New Testament times, who
through the Divine Spirit spoke and wrote also
according to the mind of our Lord ! What shall
58 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
be done, and where shall we look to find the high
honours which must be conferred upon our modern
reverend critics, who, by their alleged discoveries,
if believed, have surpassed the Infinite ? What
honours, we ask, can ever be devised for such
transcendent greatness ? It would require a new
world to be struck into existence and specially
prepared for their own exalted habitation ! We
would need here the author of u Paradise Lost"
to do justice to the subject. For only he who in
such sublime conceptions depicted the mysterious
workings of the Satanic mind and the Fall of man,
could adequately describe the splendid work, with
its far-reaching effects, performed by the " Higher
Critics," and also the lofty pinnacle of fame to
which, by such work, they have attained !
If we have been in any way astonished, as we
may well be, at the professed discoveries on the
part of the "Higher Critics" respecting Holy
Scripture, it will also be admitted that a greater
wonder still is to be seen in the contrast between
their supposed mental superiority and their moral
insight. We refer to their apparently entire want
of ability to discern the obliquity of their position
in making a profession of Christianity, and yet
continuing to do the work of the u Higher
Critics." *
We all believe in progress and earnestly desire
it in everything, but especially do we all desire
*NOTE. It is to the Modern Critics themselves that th- terms " Crude
Morality'' 1 and "pious fraud" have become applicable, and not to any Old
Testament writer, as they have so gratuitously and even profanely represented
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 59
progress in the divine and heavenward life. But
we refuse to believe 1 that the re-appearance of
Voltaire or Paine, dressed out in fine clerical
robes, is evidence of any kind of progress what-
ever. And this, putting it roundly, and in what
some may call picturesque form, is what we have
now pretty largely set before us, as the mark of a
broad charity and refinement which has hitherto
been neglected or unknown. But, to change our
illustration, we seriously remark that the " Higher
Critics" are builders on a foundation of sand.
On this foundation they have built a palace for
themselves. It is built of "uncertainties," mostly
of their own manufacture. " Uncertainties " are
their own most precious " blocks with which they
build." They still go on adding to their luxurious
edifice, and in these habitations of their
own handiwork they and their guests may
have comfort and revel for a time; but the
day of trial comes, the storm of judgment
approaches. Is the Hand writing upon the wall not
already appearing ? Whether they are aware of
the awful danger of their position or not, it is
none the less there. We sincerely hope they may
see their error and turn from it, for the facts are
against them, and the law of facts is inexorable.
But if they turn not, the word of our Lord to the
Pharisees on a certain occasion will, we believe,
be true also in their case '' But now ye say. We
" see ; therefore your sin remaineth."
As no confidence could be placed in the ration-
60 THE HIGHER CRITICISM.
alistic writers of a hundred years ago nor even
listened to for an instant who had at least some
of the virtue of consistency, however sad their
position, much less can we rely on the modern
"Higher Critics." We refer especially to those
who subsist upon the coffers of the Churches.
They are all doubtless respectable in the eyes
of the world, and that is, we daresay, most
important for them; but they are not more respect-
able and not quite so influential in the Church and
the world as were the great body of Scribes and
Pharisees in the time of our Lord. And we all
know with what terrible words He denounced
these men time after time. And may we not with
special appropriateness and application here, con-
clude with some of our Lord's words on the
Mount : " Think not that I am come to destroy
u the law, or the prophets : I am not come to
"destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto
"you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
" tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
" fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of
"these least commandments, and shall teach men
" so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of
" heaven : but whosoever shall do and teach them,
" the same shall be called great in the kingdom of
"heaven. For I say unto you, That except your
"righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of
"the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
" enter into the kingdom of heaven."
III.
THE CONCLUDING GENERAL VIEW,
AND CONDEMNATION OF THE
"HIGHER CRITICISM."
may be disposed to urge the objection
that more detailed statements from their works
should have been produced in evidence of the
truth of our indictment against the " Higher
Critics/' but as their works are now so widely
known, we do not think it at all necessary to give
more lengthened quotations. If, however a more
are wanted by any critic in particular, there is
ample material available to supply the demand.
We have said that we summon the " Higher
Critics " before the bar of common rectitude or,
to put it more directly, perhaps, we summon them
before the bar of conscience. And have we not
62 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
a right to do so ? Is the living, believing Church
of God not deeply interested in a matter of this
kind ? Manifestly many sections of the professing
Church of God, especially the leaders in these
Churches, have failed lamentably in their clear
duty towards many of the " Higher Critics "
coming directly under their jurisdiction. Like
Eli of old, although these leaders themselves be
true believers, yet they have sadly neglected to
do their utmost to check, rebuke, and punish if
unrepentant, such offenders in their midst. And
as it happened in the case of that weak and
sinfully indulgent prophet referred to, similar
yea, even more disastrous results have been, and
undoubtedly will be, experienced. Yes, we hold
we have a right to summon these men, and we
must ask them to continue to stand at that bar for
examination and for the judgment of the Christian
Church. If they are not prepared to renounce
their opposition to the declarations of Christ and
the Divinely taught writers of the New Testa-
ment in regard to the Old Testament Scripture,
we become bound, in the name of our Lord, to
lift up our voice against these false teachers, and
with one united testimony denounce their whole
work, not only as containing the essential prin-
ciples of infidelity, but, from the evidence before
us, entitling us to charge them with making a
profession of Christianity which can have no real
foundation.
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 63
It is undoubtedly an almost universal and con-
tinual experience of the living Church of Christ
to have infidelity, in various forms, arrayed
against her, and even infidelity under the cloak of
Christian profession has never been awanting.
But it may be questioned whether, in all the past
since New Testament times, there has ever
appeared such a formidable enemy to the Church
of Christ as that which is being manifested under
the name of this great apostasy of the " Higher
Criticism."
The true position, as we have repeatedly indi-
cated, for the modern Critics to take up, would be
among the infidels of past ages, some of whose
names we have mentioned. It was a compara-
tively easy matter to deal with the sceptics of last
century, because they kept their legitimate
position outside all Christian profession. But
when we find men holding the same sceptical
views regarding Old Testament Scripture, and
yet abiding within the Church, entitled, so long as
they are there, to all the privileges of it, the diffi-
culties of contending with this hydra-headed foe
are immensely increased. And we have every
evidence that this is the actual state of matters
within the Church of Christ at the present
moment.
But what is to be done ? Is the Church of
God, in view of these things, to fold her arms and
fall asleep with lukewarm satisfaction or indif-
64 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
ference ? The counsel of many of whom better
things might be expected is, alas, of this nature.
Let matters go on, all will come right, say they.
They would even suggest that there may be good
derived from the work of the Critics ; and some,
indeed, are ready to turn round with an air of
offended dignity, and seriously ask if we place no
value upon the opinions of the u Higher Critics,"
many of whom are widely respected in the
Churches. Our answer to all such indignant per-
sons, is, that we do not attach any value whatever,
but the contrary, to such opinions, come from
whom they may. In contrast, we ask all to look
at our Lord. As we stand together with Him,
how, we must ask, do such men as the a Higher
Critics '' bulk in our eyes ? Can we see them at
all ? We confess, in all sincerity, that from this
standpoint the (e Higher Critics," so far as their
authority is concerned, are nothing, and less than
nothing to us.
It is one of the first duties of the living Church,
is it not, to contend earnestly for the faith once
delivered to the Saints ? Does it not become us
therefore, in all seriousness, to fight against the
unaccountable apathy shown towards so great an
evil now deeply rooted in almost every Protestant
Church throughout the greater part of the world ?
Is it at all likely or possible, humanly speaking,
that the work of the " Higher Critics '' will soon
be cast aside and disappear from the Churches ?
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 65
We hope of God's Grace it may be so, and all
things are blessedly possible with Him, but
present appearances are against the expectation.
The seeds of scepticism respecting Scripture have
now, as the tares of the parable, been sown in
nearly every Christian field, and since they have,
through the negligence of lukewarm overseers,
been allowed to spring up, and that in great
abundance, the rooting-up process may now be too
late, as such an operation at this late hour of the
day may be neither safe nor possible. But there
is another course always open, and that is to obey
the teaching of the Spirit, who says to all who are
in circumstances of evil contamination : " Come
out from among them, and be ye separate." In
view of the deplorable condition of the teaching
now so prevalent, of such a dangerous character,
we can only say that we are profoundly convinced
that, in order to give a clear testimony of our
abhorrence of such a state of matters, and also for
the true peace and prosperity of the Church of
Christ, there seems at present no other way open
for the believing but that of separation.
The most of the Churches, as we have indicated,
are being saturated and weakened to the very
foundations through the " Higher Criticism."
There are noble exceptions. We cannot forget,
but must ever dearly cherish the memory of one
who ever, even amid much persecution, stood in
the forefront in his testimony against the " Higher
E
66 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
Critics.'' We refer to the beloved Spurgeon,
whom we can only think of as a man of the most
exalted character and the peerless of preachers.
We give the following brief extracts from an
address delivered by him at a public Conference,
in 1889. " I have had," he says, u to pass through
sore trials, as you know ; they have not been by
any means small ones; but had I foreknown and
foreseen everything that has happened, I would
have done exactly as I did. Indeed, like Luther, I
could c do no other.' I am not able to make a
compromise concerning the truth of God. I am so
constituted that I can only believe that ' twice two
are four,' and I have not sufficient genius, or
whatever other quality that may be needful, to
admit that it may be four and a quarter, or perhaps
only three and a half. It may have been very
easy, very comfortable, and possibly very clever
for others to have acted otherwise than I have
done : but I could not do it, nor shall I begin to
try to do it."
Again he says: " I do not know how to trust
myself to speak of the men who have two creeds, and I
am sorry I know many who have one is for private
consumption, for their own personal belief, or to
be introduced at fraternal ' meetings, and other
gatherings where brethren of their own way of
thinking meet together ; but they have a very
different creed when they come into the pulpit.
If this gets to be a very general thing, ministers
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 6/
will become a by-word and a proverb, and they
will make religion to be utterly contemptible
among honest men and women. Let it never be
so with us, brethren. As for myself, I believe
nothing that I do not preach, and so far as I know
I am prepared to preach everything I believe ; if
I acted otherwise, I should count myself worthy
to be shut up in a prison cell for life as a rogue
and a vagabond.''
" I think " he again says, " that our reverence
for the Scripture ought to be supreme. I do not
believe that it can be carried too far ; and person-
ally I would go the length of saying that I accept
every word of it from the beginning of Genesis
to the end of Revelation, as it was given by God
in the original documents. I believe the Bible
teaches the truth about natural history or about
any sort of history, or about philosophy, or any-
thing else ; and that, although there have been
historical statements in it which have been
questioned for a while, some old stone has been
turned up at Nineveh, or somewhere else, con-
taining an ancient record showing that the
Bible was right all the time . . . . If
you admit that there is even one error in the
Word of God, you have got rid of the infallible
Author ; if He can err on one point, if He is
mistaken on some minor matter, depend upon
it He is not to be trusted in the more important
points."
68 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
These utterances cannot be mistaken, and
certainly do not miss the mark.
We never had the privilege of his personal
acquaintance, but have known his work well, and
we are inclined to believe that since the days of
the Apostles no man raised up of God has through
His grace done such a great and good work as
that of C. H. Spurgeon. All over the world
millions rejoice, in his preaching of the Gospel,
and in a very emphatic way Sf his works do
follow him.' 7 We think, however, the crowning
and most endearing characteristic of the great
preacher was his faithfulness to the truth of God.
He showed himself willing to sacrifice everything
which might otherwise be dear to him for the
honour and glory of God. In this love of God
and His truth lay indeed the secret, we believe s of
the immense work he was enabled so heartily to
perform.
There are undoubtedly other notable instances
of divinity professors and preachers who still
stand by the good old path. All honour to such ;
but after making every allowance for the many
valiant defenders of the Truth of God, it has yet
to be confessed that the teaching of the " Higher
Criticism " prevails in nearly all the seats of
learning, and young ministers have now for several
years been coming out of the colleges in crowds
imbued less or more with the ideas of the sceptics.
We are sure multitudes of church attenders
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 69
will bear us out when we say that In the churches
generally, even in those reputed to be most
orthodox, it is found that hearers can seldom
depend upon a preacher proclaiming the real
Scripture message of God. One day he will, it
is true, give a discourse founded on and supported
wholly from Divine revelation, which may be
termed evangelical ; but perhaps on the very next
occasion the same preacher will completely under-
mine and throw down what he had previously
built up by declaring, either directly or indirectly,
that the very portions of Scripture from which he
had given the evangelical teaching cannot be held
as quite reliable. And so this intermittent kind
of teaching of the "Higher Criticism'' goes on
continuously. The results are therefore becoming
more and more alarming, and however outwardly
decorous the routine work of the churches is
carried on, this worm of unbelief which appears
ever gnawing at the root of Scripture truth has
produced and is producing a state of decay which
we fear no human instrumentality may now be
charged with the power to counteract.
We do notj we think, exaggerate the evil ; and
whether it may be doubted or not, we also assert
that there has, in our opinion, been for some time
a growing indifference to Divine things generally
among a great mass of even regular church-going
people. The highest bliss and consummation of
a year's work appears occasionally to be some
70 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
secular sensational entertainment provided for the
delectation of the members and workers of these
churches. It is also becoming every day, we may
say. more evident that there is now to be seen
outside of churches, both in towns and country
districts we refer to Scotland, at least an amount
of gross immorality such as has not been witnessed
for many generations. If this is so, as we regret
to believe, we cannot but attribute much of this
flagrant shameless state of things to the scepticism
which we see propagated within the churches
through the " Higher Criticism." We are at the
same time not forgetting the fact that there never
was a period, perhaps, in the history of Christianity
when so much faithful earnest mission work was
done both at home and abroad as at the present
time. So that while decay is manifest at the heart
of the churches the saving work of God still goes
on wherever the true Gospel is believingly
proclaimed.
In occupying the attitude we do, of entire
confidence in Scripture, and especially because of
our Lord's affirmations regarding it, we must
not allow it to be inferred that we are indifferent
in regard to a full and clear exposition of any
and every portion of it. On the contrary, while
recognising our childhood, as we must at best
ever do, in this matter, we are and ought to be
in earnest in seeking to know more and more
the mind and will of God so far as He may be
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. /I
pleased to reveal it to us. And it is just here, we
may say, that we come upon the fundamental
error of the Critics. They have been searching
for light where no true light can be found
apart from God. Nothing can be more clearly
taught or known than this, that Holy Scripture
can only be understood through the Spirit of
God. For, as these Scriptures were written
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so they
can only be interpreted aright through the same
Spirit. Even those portions of Scripture about
which there may have been no controversy
whatever cannot be rightly understood unless
through the indwelling of the Spirit. Our Lord
Himself could not be known except through the
Holy Spirit, for we remember His words to
Peter. When that Apostle said, u Thou art the
" Christ, the Son of the Living God,'* He answered,
u Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto
" thee." Paul's declaration is in exact correspon-
dence with this, for he writes, "No man can say
" that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."
(i Cor. xii. 3.)
The "Higher Critics" have now been long
engaged in their work. Some years ago, many
of them would have indignantly denied that they
held such views as they have recently been
boldly proclaiming. As we have said, there is
much blame in certain quarters to be attached
to Church leaders, for not having at an early stage
72 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
withstood the advance of the Critics, and in such a
way as has been consistently and faithfully done
by evangelical Churches frequently during the
last half-century. Yet, however lamentable and
paradoxical the remark may appear, we may add
that it may have been as well, in one sense, that
these Critics should have been allowed to run
their full natural course. When their destructive
work is clearly seen in all its hideousness, a
general revulsion may be expected. Just as in
the proverb it is sometimes said of a certain
person, ie Only give him rope enough and he will
hang himself/' so may it be said of the " Higher
Critics," the more extensive their work the more
clearly will its fatal and untrustworthy character
stand revealed, and pronounce its own con-
demnation.
We might go on to show the general declension
and looseness of view engendered in regard to
some of the most vital doctrines contained in the
Word of God, as the natural sequence to the
" Higher Criticism.'' On the principles and lines
of the " Higher Critics " there is indeed nothing
Divine which may not be . supplanted by some
merely human conception. But we do not
mean to proceed further at present in that
direction.
The '' Higher Critics " often make the state-
ment, and it is a most singular one, that they
wish in their teaching to go back to Christ and to
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 73
Him only. By this they imply, and even plainly
declare another fallacy of theirs that our Lord's
teaching was different from that of the Apostles
and other New Testament writers. It is most
difficult to entertain such a naked self-contradictory
statement, seeing, as is abundantly evidenced,
that the whole superstructure of their work as
"Higher Critics" is a direct denial of our
Lord's authority and teaching. This enigma, if
it had not been in keeping with their position
otherwise, would have been incredible. Who
could have expected or imagined that the Critics,
after labouring, so to speak, with all their might to
prove an immense amount of error and romance
in the Scriptures which work they know to be
directly opposed to our Lord's express declarations
should ever wish for any of His teaching?
Yet, true it is, after doing all this, and
continuing to hold by their contradictions, they
come to Him, as we see, making great professions
of belief in His teaching, and, to use the language
of Scripture itself, bowing as it were before Him,
saying, ''Lord, Lord!-'
Another, but subsidiary feature of the modern
" Higher Critic," which may be pointed out, is
his ready acquiescence generally in proposals for
union with other Churches. Well, true union is
ever desirable, but we do not believe any union
which can take place under such a condition of
things as those referred to can be of any real
74 THE HIGHER CRITICISM
value one way or another. But for men of such
views as the u Higher Critics," and for all who
are allied with their work, there can, it is evident,
be no barrier on their own part to uniting with
Churches of any possible description. Even the
heathen religions of the world, it may be
remarked, have the respect and admiration of the
Critics, and they appear to glory in this spurious
charity. It would seem that a professed Christian
Missionary, by long residence among the heathen,
may become enamoured of the heathen religions,
and we regret to say we appear to have had
recently some striking indications of this from
India. But all aberrations or delinquencies of this
kind are to be overlooked. Wealth, worldly
position and influence, being now so much the
great determining forces at the centre and also in
the main body of certain Church organizations, all
these and other like departures from the faith are
to be counted as trivial matters. And so, even
Balaam, some would seem to say, may have, after
all, a legitimate and honoured place among the
Israel of God !
How different with the great Apostle of the
Gentiles. Was there ever a man more loving,
with more bowels of compassion for the erring
and sinful, than Paul ? But see how he hated
departure from the truth of the Gospel. As
has been truly said, " There is no anger like
" the anger of love. There is no indignation like
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 75
"the wrath of the Lamb." Hear how he writes
to the Churches of Galatia : " But there be some
(t that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel
of Christ. But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than
" that which we have preached unto you, let him
c ' be accursed. As we said before, so say I now
" again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto
"you than that ye have received, let him be
"accursed.' 5 (Gal. i. 7 9).
If we are asked how and when did the
" Higher Criticism " begin, we think we can
offer a very simple solution of the question.
When we look carefully into the nature and
course of the first temptation to rebellion and sin,
we will discover an instance of the kind which for
point and subtlety we believe has never since
been surpassed. When the Serpent appeared
before Eve it was to undermine the Word of God,
but he pretended to be an expositor of it and only
to give more enlarged ideas and light regarding
it. He said to her, a Ye shall not surely die ; for
" God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof . . .
st ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil/' Here
was a contradiction of the Word of God, which
had been given to our first parents, but adroitly
glossed over by the tempter with the pleasing
idea of greater good to follow the transgression.
May we not commend the study of this first attack
upon the Word of God, as there may, we
THE HIGHER CRITICISM
think, be seen in it, at once, the origin
and typical example of the modern " Higher
Criticism."
In conclusion, we need scarcely remark that, in
view of all this s the believimg Church of God finds
an urgent call to prayer and effort. We have
said appearances are against the expectation that
the work of the a Higher Criticism " will soon
disappear from the Churches ; and the more
carefully it is looked into the more hopeless will
the prospect of improvement appear. That,
however, is only the human side. There is
another and a better. " The Lord's Hand is not
shortened." On one occasion Moses replied to a
murmuring people in these words : " Fear ye not,
u stand still and see the salvation of the Lord,
t!i which He will show to you to-day ; for the
" Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day ye shall
6 " see them again no more for ever. The Lord
" shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your
" peace.'' Moses was deep in prayer to God
when he uttered these words s and the utterance,
as we know, was a Divine revelation ; but com-
bined with true prayer, as always, there was also
a readiness of action ; and just then it was :
6i The Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou
" to me ? Speak unto the children of Israel that
4< they go forward." Could there be anything
more sublime and noble than the faith and action
THE GREATEST APOSTASY OF THE AGE. 77
of Moses on that occasion ? Another majestic
figure stands out before us in the olden times in
the person of Elijah. As we see him on Mount
Carmel, confronted with the 450 prophets of Baal,
we find like prayer, and faith in God ; and at the
conclusion of his signal triumph through the
Divine power, we seem still to hear those significant
and terrible words of the prophet: " Let not one
of them escape.'* Time and space for repentance,
and many warnings, had been given before these
events alluded to took place, and in both instances
judgment and mercy, doubtless, mingled together.
And are we to regard these striking deliverances
through faith and prayer as evidence of the
childhood of the human race ? It must be other-
wise . We ought rather to see in them the eternal
and unchangeable spirit of truth and love, and an
encouragement, under all circumstances, to trust
in God and in Him alone. And if we should be
tempted by anyone to think of these men Moses
and Elijah or of their work, as in any sense
mythical or unreal, let us call to remembrance the
most interesting and instructive fact that these
were the two men who were privileged to talk
with our Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration.
And we may also well believe that one of the
great purposes of our Lord, in the appearing of
these men with Him on that occasion, was to
show His approval of them and to give added
testimony to the faithfulness of the Scripture
THE HIGHER CRITICISM.
record of their eventful history. Therefore, as
of old, so now, the Lord is the refuge and
strength of His Church and people. According
to their faith in Him and in Him only, so shall
they overcome, and so also shall they have the
unspeakable joy of His abiding presence.
ALABASTER, PASSMORE AND SONS, PRINTERS, FANN STREET, LONDON, E.G.
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
50 707 330
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